My 13 year old son and I will be doing the 3 peaks for the very first time in 3 weeks time. We are both healthy, but I wouldn't say very fit, although we would like to do it within 12 hours. We can do it any time from the 12 August until 23 August. We will choose a day when the forecast is fine and not too hot. We plan to start early (8 am?) and then stay overnight at the Crown in Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
As we are novices and I have a 13 year old, and my wife is abroad on holiday, I was wondering if there is anyone else who has a child and would like to do the walk together for safety. I am a doctor so any medical problem should not be an issue. My concern is leaving a 13 year old to get help if he or I was to get injured.

If you don't find anyone the route is well trod at that time of year. Set off as early as you can and there should be plenty of people around for most of the walk. Both of you can carry a phone, torch, whistle etc incase you get lost and separated.

Thanks for sending me your guide. It looks like we should do the challenge at the weekends rather than the weekday, if we can't get someone else to join us for company. The only problem with the weekend is the accommodation at the Crown is fully booked for the weekends.

We've decided to do the sensible thing and tackle one of the peaks first to see how we cope, before doing all 3 in the following days. Any suggestion which one to do? I thought maybe Wernside. We can park (free?) along the road by the aqueduct and then spend the day climbing to the summit and finding a spot to stash our supplies so we don't need to carry too much when we do the 3 peaks? Are there any shops on route that we can buy cold drinks?

Available fluid 'top up' spots are covered in 'The Guide' but for the benefit of casual browsers...............

The cafe in Horton should open at 8am.

At Ribblehead the burger van (weekends only, no idea of the opening times but if you start from Horton it will invariably be there from late spring to late autumn?), the pub is usually open very early (obviously not for alcohol) or the Visitor Centre at Ribblehead Station (Tues to Sat 10am to 3.30pm) Note: The pub and Visitor Centre will need a minor detour from the route.

At Chapel le Dale either Philpin Farm Snack Bar (Sat/Sun only - open 9am Sat/11am Sun - to 5pm until the end of September) or the Hill Inn (not sure but I'm guessing usual pub opening times).

If you are traveling by car to Ribblehead please park in the obvious area just to the north of the Station Inn at Ribblehead on the Ingleton to Hawes Road (just to the north of the T-junction of the B6255 (Blea Moor Road) and B6479 (Gauber Road). Parking in this location is currently free (thanks for asking as I note that I hadn't made this clear in the 'From Ribblehead' Guide - now amended accordingly).

Stashing supplies, oh please NO.

Which one to do?

1.Whernside circular from Ribblehead taking the wide sweep of the RoW that runs across Grain Ings/Head certainly follows the route and does include the steep stepping off Whernside to Bruntscar and from there or near Philpin use the RoW's to return to Ribblehead.

2. Pen-Y-Ghent from Horton - 3 Peaks route to the summit using the Pennine Way off Pen y Ghent to Tarn Barn and carry on ahead using the new surfaced route to rejoin the Pennine/Ribble Way SW of Jackdaw Hill then turn left and follow the track back into Horton.

3. Ribblehead - use whichever RoW's you want to get to Philpin/The Hill Inn and take the 3 Peaks route up to Ingleborough summit then return to the gate at the top of the Ingleborough 'staircase' and turn right to follow the footpath that either follows the lip of the hill across Souther Scales Fell or the wall on the right across Simon Fell (take the stile at SD75593 75288 to cross the wall and turn left - keep following the path by the wall now on your left) both of which descend Park Fell from near the trig point to Colt Park where the RoW will take you to the Gauber Road, turn left and return to your starting point.

My son and I finally completed the 3 peaks challenge yesterday (16.8.13) in 11 hours 44 mins. It was far more difficult than I thought and my poor son developed blisters on the long walk to Whernside. I used up all 5 plasters on him. I guess his new boots weren't quite worn in. I am so proud of him for carrying on because each step he took was painful. We took a wrong turn, on the way to the Old Inn. We turned right instead of going straight on, so we did a longer route which was a fast flowing rocking beck, and ended up on the right side of the Old Inn. At least we put our walking boots to the test and was pleased that they were waterproof. Most people we met on route were very nice and encouraging, but we did encounter a group of 3 lads who had just got to the summit as we were on our way down and one of them told us the path back down from Ingleborough was at the end of the narrow path on the right side of the plateau and down some very steep rocks. We tried to go down there, and had to abandon it as it was too dangerous. When the same 3 lads started their descend, one of the boys confessed to us that was not the best route down, so we followed them down from where we ascended and then bear right. We wasted 15 mins there. One other thing saddened me, and that was the amount of litter left on the path. I made sure I took all my rubbish with me until I got back to the Horton in Ribblesdale. I like to thank a lady who gave me 2 of her Ibuprofen tablets at the top of Whernside, when she found out I was getting pain in my legs. Overall we were so pleased we did it in under 12 hours despite taking the wrong route, and my son being slowed down by blisters. Next time we go back, I would like to just enjoy the place and not do the challenge again.

Congratulations to both you and your son for completing 'the challenge' within the time scale. I'm sure it's an experience you'll both never forget.

From your description of where you went astray would I be correct in thinking you mean Old Ing after having traversed 'The Bog' and heading for the High Birkwith area?

The summit of Ingleborough can be quite confusing (I've long championed that waymarker posts should be on the 3 main summit exits). I think that given your comments, whilst 'The Guide' clearly advises that upon reaching the summit plateau you should 'carrying on ahead, turn around & take good note of the route you have come from, you will return this way but it can sometimes be very disorientating to find the right track back if the weather is poor' - I think I will now will add, as an appendix to 'The Guide', the instructions/advice I give in the 'Using a compass' entry in the forum .

I've added painkillers to 'The Guide' as whilst it has always advised taking a basic first aid kit I haven't specifically identified 'painkillers' before (although I always include them myself). Thanks for nodding me in that direction.

Litter! I'm always amazed at this, and I know it's been covered before on the forum, but people have to make some degree of effort to walk this route - whether you do the whole lot or a single peak and I'm always amazed at the amount of litter at the summits, and cans and bottles in particular - okay anyone can lose a crisp packet to the wind by accident but you don't lose cans and bottles by 'accident' .